


Play Date

by alabasterclouds



Series: Weekends at Carol's [19]
Category: Brooklyn (2015), Brooklyn - Colm Toibin, Carol (2015), The Price of Salt - Patricia Highsmith
Genre: Age Play, Bathing/Washing, Bottle-Feeding, Crossover, Crying, Cuddling & Snuggling, Diapers, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Jealousy, Napping, Non-Sexual Age Play, Nursing, Nursing Kink, Separation Anxiety, Wetting, playdate
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2017-02-21
Packaged: 2018-09-26 00:48:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9854603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alabasterclouds/pseuds/alabasterclouds
Summary: This is a crossover fic between the movie Brooklyn and Carol, which take place the in the same universe (New York City/Brooklyn, 1953). It might help to read my Brooklyn fic (https://archiveofourown.org/works/5569273) to understand Eilis and her own littleness, but it's not necessary.Therese is bored one Saturday when Carol won't play with her. Exasperated with Therese's whining, Carol calls Abby to see if she knows any other littles that Therese could play with. Always prepared, Abby comes to the rescue and introduces a new little one, Eilis Lacey - an immigrant from Ireland who doesn't have many friends she can relate to.Note: This is an ageplay fic. Please read the tags, and consider yourself warned. I'm not responsible for your like or dislike of the story.





	

"Carol," whined Therese. "Why aren't you listening to me?"

Carol ran a hand through her blonde curls and looked up from her bill-paying in slight exasperation. Therese occasionally got into these moods, where she had a big problem with Carol trying to complete her every day household chores and just needed attention. The moods usually came after Therese had had a long or stressful week at work. She was littler then, more clingy. She'd already asked Carol twice to nurse that morning, despite the rule that Therese only got to nurse before bed and naps. Carol had spent some time that morning cuddling Therese on the couch and rocking her, but it hadn't seemed to help. Therese was simply fractious, and, Carol thought to herself with wry annoyance, rather exasperating this morning.

She put her pen down quietly and regarded her little one. Therese was dressed in a pair of denim overalls and a white shirt with frilled short sleeves. Her diaper and plastic pants peeked slightly above the sides of the overalls when she stretched her arms above her head, which she was doing now, a big pout on her face. Her blue-green eyes were pools of longing. Carol couldn't help but smile at her little one.

"Therese. I've got to do these bills or we'll have the electricity shut off. You know that."

"Can't you do them later? I need you." Therese pouted and then slipped a thumb in her mouth for a moment, and Carol held open her arms for a cuddle. But as quickly as Therese settled in, she pulled away from Carol restlessly. "Carol, I'm bored. Can't we go to the park today?"

Carol looked outside at the softly falling snow and pulled a wry face. "I'm not in the mood to walk in the snow and get cold. Why not colour in your new colouring book I picked up for you yesterday? Or you could build with the blocks in the guest room . . ." She had to laugh at the look on Therese's face. "Well, love, you could turn the television back on, but you've watched enough of that today to spoil your brain." She pulled Therese close and kissed her cheek, but Therese made a face even at that.

"I'm _bored_ , Mama. Can't we play a game?"

"What kind of a game?" Carol patted Therese's bottom. "I think you're wet, darling. It'll have to keep until after we change your diaper."

"I'm _not_ wet!" Therese stamped her foot. "I had a change not an hour ago. I'm fine. _Mama_ ," she whined. "Listen to me!"

Carol raised an eyebrow. "Therese. I'm certainly not going to listen to you when you whine at me so. You're close to some time by yourself, young lady. I don't like this tone of yours."

Therese's lower lip began to tremble, and Carol's face changed from stern to concerned. "Darling, what is the matter today?"

"I don't have anyone to play with," said Therese, her voice wobbling. "And I don't want to wait or to dress up and go out with Dannie. I don't want to wait until you finish the bills. I want someone to play with." And with that, she started to cry.

Carol pulled her baby onto her lap and used a napkin to wipe away her tears. "Oh, sweetheart. I think you've had a rough week, haven't you?" She kissed Therese's cheek and rocked her a little, letting Therese's sobs slow down. "This usually only happens when you've had a bit of a hard time at work."

"I don't like work," murmured Therese, her voice choked, and Carol chuckled. 

"Now, now, that's not true. You told me this week you got to shoot some interesting subjects, and for once, George was able to do his job without you having to babysit him!"

Therese raised her head from Carol's shoulder and flashed her dimples. "That's true. He didn't need me this week for once."

"No," agreed Carol, and kissed Therese. "Now. Let's see what we can do to make you a little happier today, and to let me get my chores done as well." She patted Therese's bottom again. "And you most certainly are wet, young lady."

Therese flushed a little. "Maybe a little."

"More than a little. Come on, let's change your pants and then I'm going to give that Abigail a call. She's been palling around with a new lady lately; maybe she has some ideas about who's coming and going these days."

Abby was very connected to the gay scene in New York, and Carol, though she hadn't outright asked, had an idea that the new woman Abby was seeing also seemed to be connected to the type of lifestyle that she and Therese led. Certain things that Abby had said made Carol wonder if there were more little ones like Therese out there, and if there were, how they could meet some of them. New York was such a large and diverse city, marvelled Carol, not for the first time. She never would have even considered this sort of thing when she lived in New Jersey, and Abby never would have told her about any of her adventures in the city.

Therese obediently lay down on the bed and Carol set to changing her - Therese's diaper was soaked, and Carol realized that Therese had had more milk today than she usually drank. "We may need to cut back on your liquids if we're to have enough diapers to last the weekend," she chided Therese playfully. "This is three this morning! You're going through them quickly, darling."

"Too much milk," agreed Therese, playing with the buckle on her overalls. Carol had had this pair specially made with snaps down the legs and at the crotch, and Therese was only allowed to wear it in the house. But it did make changing easier for both of them, and Therese had said that she liked how little it made her feel. Carol smiled at her little one, who was now engaged in blowing her bangs off her forehead and giggling. 

"That's more like it," said Carol, smiling down at her little one. "That's more like my cheerful little Therese."

Washing her hands, she heard Therese wander into the living room, probably after her sketchbook. Carol hurried to the phone to give Abby a call before the day got too late and Abby was out doing something and away from the telephone. It didn't matter if it was snowing - Abby would drive into the city at the drop of a hat, through any weather, if she knew there was going to be fun involved.

Luckily, when Carol rang the Gerhard residence, Abby picked up on the third ring. 

"Carol! Hiya, kiddo! How's tricks?" Abby's cheerful voice made Carol smile. Though it was only ten o'clock in the morning, Abby was an early riser, and had probably been up since six-thirty. Carol herself had been up since about seven with her restless little one, who would definitely need a nap after lunch, the way things were going.

"A bit stir-crazy, Abby. Therese is bored and wants someone to play with, but I've got just a zillion things to do today, and really, I'm just not in the mood. Can't you come and entertain her for awhile? I don't know what you've got going on today, but you're usually in the city during the weekend."

Abby laughed. "You never were one for playing, even with Rindy! I'm sorry, honey, but I've got plans with Georgina today. We're going to try out the new Indian restaurant in midtown. I'd bring the little one along, but she tends to clam up in front of strangers and honestly I was picturing a nice date . . . " Abby's voice suddenly trailed off. "Wait, you're saying she wants someone to play with her?"

Carol rolled her eyes. "Yes, darling. It'd be nice if you'd listen a little better. She's bored. She wants someone to play her games with her."

"Well, now," said Abby, appearing to ignore Carol's jibe at her. "Georgina has a little friend that might fit the bill."

Carol was slightly confused. "I thought you were seeing Georgina."

"I am, silly. This is someone she met on the ship from Ireland the last time she went home, in the early fall. She's kind of taken the kid under her wing a bit. She's sort of like Therese in a way."

"In a way?"

Carol could almost see Abby nodding patiently. "She's a bit little as well. Georgie likes to have her over during the week sometimes when she gets some time off from those kids she looks after. She told me about her. Ellie or Ellis or something, her name is. She's sweet, at least according to Georgie, and might like to meet a friend in the city that could relate to her a bit."

"Well, I could certainly ask Therese," said Carol, sounding doubtful, "but is this girl going to be understanding of, well, Therese's quirks?" Carol thought about needing to change Therese or soothe her after a fall, which tended to happen at least four times a day. Therese refused to wear slippers and subsequently slipped and fell on the hardwood floors in her socks countless times a day.

Abby's voice was soothing. "She's just like Therese, darling. She wears diapers, though I'm not sure how often. Georgie says she likes a bottle now and then. She's just like her. She might be a nice little playmate."

Carol blinked, trying to clear the confusion and strange feelings from her head. It wasn't a surprise that other people practiced this sort of lifestyle, of course, but she only knew Abby and Therese in her personal circle who would be understanding of it. 

Abby took Carol's silence as assent. "Let me give Georgie a call, and I'll let you know. I think she might have Ellis over this morning - she had mentioned she likes to spend a bit of time with her on her days off. And with this snow, it might be nice for this little one to have something to do when Georgina has to leave her for me later today."

Carol murmured in agreement, and then hung up the phone, turning to find Therese standing behind her, her face smudged a bit with charcoal.

"Goodness, Therese! You gave me a fright!"

"I'm sorry, Mama," said Therese contritely, and then came closer, holding out her arms to be lifted, but Carol shook her head. 

"Not with your hands and face black as a chimney sweep. Let's wash up first."

"Who were you talking to?" asked Therese, obediently trotting beside Carol to the kitchen sink. Carol turned on the water and handed Therese the soap.

"I was speaking to Abby, darling."

"Is she going to come over? Maybe we can draw together," suggested Therese, looking a little brighter. She scrubbed her hands vigorously with the Ivory soap, and Carol quietly wet a clean dishcloth and wiped Therese's face, much to her little one's chagrin.

"Mama! You're going to take my nose off."

"Oh, Therese. Stop complaining. This stuff certainly does stick to your skin." She finished washing Therese's face and then kissed her, earning herself a smile from Therese. Her little one turned off the water and then held out her arms. Carol lifted Therese into her arms, inhaling the sweet scent of Therese's shampoo and the smell of Ivory soap. She kissed Therese's cheek and hair as her little one happily snuggled in.

"No, Abby can't come today, sweetie. She's going to go out with Georgina. You remember her talking about Georgina last time she came for dinner."

Therese nodded, pulling back a bit from Carol's shoulder, but her face fell. "Oh."

"But she might have a surprise for you, regardless. I'm just waiting for her to call me back." Carol carried Therese into the living room and sat her quietly on the couch. "Why don't you show me what you drew, darling?"

Therese got up to fetch her drawings of the pot of tulips by the window, but she looked expectant. "What kind of surprise will Abby bring me?"

"Well, if all goes well, she might be bringing you a little friend to play with." Carol stroked Therese's soft hair and, like she had anticipated, felt Therese stiffen a bit beside her.

"Who?" whispered Therese.

"Well, Georgina has a little one she likes to take care of sometimes who's just about your age. She's new to the city and is looking for friends that might understand that she's new and shy. I thought you'd be a good person for her to meet. Don't you think you could make her feel welcome?"

Therese looked uncertain and then shy. She turned her face into Carol's shoulder for a moment, but then emerged a moment later. "I'd like a new friend who would play with me," she said tentatively. "But what if she doesn't . . . Mama, what if she doesn't understand?"

"Well, now, that's the best part. She's just like you. Little and sweet and probably ticklish . . ." Carol tickled Therese's side a little bit and Therese giggled, gently pushing Carol's hands away. "And so I think she'd be a good friend for you to play with. I think she'd be very understanding, just as you would of her."

Therese started to look excited, and Carol smiled at her little one, who then said, "Can she come today, Mama?"

"Well," began Carol, but she was interrupted by the shrilling of the phone. "I think that may be Abby now. Maybe she'll have good news for us." Carol rose to answer the phone, leaving Therese bouncing on the couch.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Carol. It's all fixed up," came Abby's voice, sounding a bit breathless. "Georgie was happy to hear that Eilis could come over and meet Therese today. She said that she'd been a bit down with all this snow. I figured as much." Abby paused for breath, and Carol chuckled.

"Slow down, darling. You're going to have a stroke or something."

"Well, I'll bring Eilis by after I meet Georgie today - she's bringing her over from Brooklyn. I'd best scoot - I don't want to get caught in all this snow for too long. Expect us around lunch time, all right?"

"Suits me just fine. I'm looking forward to meeting . . . Eilis, is it?"

"Yes. Ay-lish. Strange name but I rather like it. Very Irish."

"It is lovely," agreed Carol. "I'll let Therese know. Will she expect lunch?"

"Likely. But I gather she's fairly easy to feed." Abby sounded distracted. "I've really got to go, Carol. I'll see you in an hour or so." The phone went dead.

Carol chuckled at Abby's impatience - likely born of wanting to see Georgina so much - and returned to tell Therese that Eilis would be coming soon.

//~//

The buzzer rang sharply at noon, and Therese, who had been bouncing around the house excitedly, pulling out her sketchbooks, colouring pencils, and other miscellaneous toys, including the train set that Rindy had played with only once, quickly ran to the door. "Abby's here! And Eilis," she finished, more softly. 

Carol smiled and rose from the table, where she'd been finishing up the bills. "Yes, darling. Why don't you let them in? I'm sure they don't want to stand outside in the snow." She watched as Therese pressed the button to open the door quickly and they heard a distant stumping up the stairs getting louder and louder. Soon, Abby's cheerful voice could be heard just outside the door.

"At the very top! They certainly get their exercise climbing those stairs." There was a brisk knock at the door, and Therese suddenly hung back shyly. Carol walked past her to answer the door.

Abby's brown eyes twinkled at Carol as the door swung open. "Hello, darling. I've brought a visitor, as expected." Standing beside Abby was a girl about Therese's age, bundled up in a red winter coat and a white patterned kerchief over her dirty-blonde hair. She smiled shyly, and regarded Carol with the biggest blue eyes Carol had ever seen.

"This is Eilis," said Abby, gently leading Eilis in and helping her unbutton her coat. "She's new to America; came over last fall, didn't you, sweetie?"

Eilis nodded, yet to speak a word. Carol smiled at her. 

"Where from, darling?"

Having been divested of her snowy winter garments, Carol could now see that Eilis was a bit taller and chubbier than slim little Therese. She wore a well-cut long grey skirt and a long-sleeved white blouse. Her hair was tied back in a simple ponytail that curled in ringlets at the ends, and her feet were clad in stockings. But as she moved closer to Abby, shyly, Carol could hear the slight rustle of plastic pants and noticed that Eilis was a bit rounded around the bottom, much as Therese was when she wore similar outfits. So this little one was diapered, too!

Eilis opened her mouth to speak and a lovely, soft, melodic Irish accent came out. "I came over from Ireland. I live in Brooklyn." Her voice was very soft, but she looked Carol in the eye and didn't shy away. "It's my first winter here," she added. "A bit cold, isn't it?"

Therese peeked around the kitchen door jamb and gave a shy smile to Abby, who immediately noticed her. "Therese! Come out and meet Eilis. Don't be so shy, kiddo."

Therese obediently came into the hallway and smiled tentatively at Eilis, who smiled back. Carol nudged Therese. "Darling, introduce yourself, please."

"I'm Therese," whispered Therese, her voice growing a little stronger. "What's your name?"

"I'm Eilis," said Eilis, sounding a little more confident this time. "You've got a nice flat."

"Carol decorated it," said Therese, smiling up at Carol. "She knows how to make it nice."

Abby started to put her coat back on. "All right, chickens. I'm off to meet Georgie. Eilis, be good, okay, honey? I'll come back around dinnertime with Georgie to pick you up and take you back home for the night. I'm still surprised you got today off from the store!"

"It was lucky, I suppose," said Eilis, but her smile disappeared as Abby headed towards the door. "What time, Abby?"

"Oh, around six. Be a good girl, sweetie. Bye, Carol and Therese." And Abby disappeared out the door.

Therese was clinging to Carol's hand, but Carol gently removed her hand when she saw Eilis's eyes fill with tears and her hands clasp and twist together. "Eilis, sweetie, do you want to come and sit down?"

Eilis nodded and took Carol's outstretched hand. Abby hadn't been joking when she'd said this little one was very shy and compliant, thought Carol. She led Eilis into the living room and Eilis went to go and sit on the couch. But her eyes were still teary, and after a moment, her lower lip began to tremble. 

"Shh, darling. You're going to have fun with Therese today," said Carol gently. She sat beside Eilis and put an arm around her shoulders. "There, there. Shh."

Therese's expression was hard to read, thought Carol, as it flashed between sympathy and jealousy. She came up to Eilis and then tentatively put a hand on her knee. "Eilis, maybe you'd like to help me light the fire?"

"Now, Therese," chided Carol. "I think a fire is a nice idea, but who lights the fire?"

"You," grumbled Therese. "I'm big enough, though."

"No, you're not. But you and Eilis can get the kindling together while I put on the soup for lunch. Are you all right with chicken soup, darling?" Carol asked Eilis, who nodded, a hint of a smile starting to cross her face. She got up and followed Therese to the fireplace, and Carol went into the kitchen to start lunch.

Abby had told her over the phone that Eilis sometimes took a nap around the same time Therese did, though she usually wouldn't sleep as long as Therese - Abby had called from the Indian restaurant where she and Georgina were eating lunch. Carol was pleased - it gave her some quiet time to read and relax without having to worry about the two little ones getting along. She'd put Eilis in the guest bed.

When Carol had set the soup to heating and had cut some bread for bread and butter, she placed some pickles and raw veggies into some serving dishes and came back out into the living room, where she could hear giggling. Therese was sitting back on her heels as Eilis used the kindling sticks to make a fair representation of a log house. The two looked up as Carol came in, Eilis looking a little guilty.

Carol just smiled. "Well, that's certainly a new way to set up a fire!" She waited until the girls had moved out of the way before lighting the paper that Eilis had carefully piled inside the house and they watched as the fire crackled into life. 

Therese smiled. "I love having a nice fire on a snowy day."

Eilis smiled back. "It's lovely and cozy, isn't it?"

Carol noticed the two girls were holding hands when she called them for lunch a few moments later, and she felt her heart squeeze. They were so adorable together, Eilis just a bit taller than Therese. 

At the lunch table, Eilis daintily ate her soup while Therese plowed through her lunch as usual. "Therese, love. Slow down," said Carol, feeling rather tired of the constant reproving she had to do with Therese at the table when she was feeling little. "There's a lot more soup if you're still hungry, and I can always cut more bread."

"Do you make your own?" asked Eilis politely, as she carefully bit into her slice. "It tastes just lovely."

"I don't make it, no, but the lady who owns the corner store downstairs has a sister who owns a bakery, and they get fresh delivery daily, which is certainly handy for us. Therese usually picks up a fresh loaf every other day or so on her way home from work."

"Oh, where do you work?" asked Eilis, turning towards Therese, who quickly swallowed so that Carol wouldn't remonstrate with her about talking with her mouth full. 

"I'm a photographer for the New York Times," she said, sounding a bit proud, and Eilis smiled politely, but Carol didn't miss her face falling.

"And what do you do, sweetheart?" Carol's voice was gentle. 

"Well, I work at a department store right now, but I'm attending classes to become an accountant," said Eilis softly. "My sister Rose is an accountant and I've wanted to follow in her footsteps my entire life."

"And does Rose live here?" asked Therese.

"No," said Eilis softly, twisting her napkin. "No, Rose lives in Ireland still." Her eyes filled with tears again, and she put her spoon down. Carol snaked a hand across the table to squeeze Eilis'.

"I'm sure you must miss her very much, darling."

Eilis's chin quivered and this time, she did begin to cry. "I sometimes miss her more than I could have imagined," she wept, hiding her face in her napkin. Carol quietly pulled Eilis into her arms and rocked her.

"Shh, sweetheart. Shh, shh."

Therese was looking distinctly jealous now, and she turned her head away from Carol and Eilis, who was curled up against Carol's shoulder, much where Therese liked to curl up. She pushed her spoon defiantly across the table and it shot across the polished wood, falling onto the floor.

"Therese," said Carol, her voice a warning. "Pick that up, please."

Therese raised her chin and pushed her knife off the table, too. Carol quietly rose, rubbing Eilis's shoulders, and took Therese by the arm. "You'll have to excuse us, Eilis. Therese needs a little time to herself, I think. I think she's getting a bit tired."

Therese let out a little cry as Carol marched her to the bedroom, her grip on Therese's arm gentle but firm. She quietly closed the door behind them and pointed to the bed. "Lie down, please. I think it's time for your nap, Therese."

Therese's face crumpled as she obediently lay down and she started to sob quietly so that Eilis wouldn't hear. "I want to play with Eilis," she whimpered.

"And you can, after you've had a bit of time to yourself. I don't like your behaviour." Carol quietly checked Therese's diaper and pulled a fresh one from the wardrobe. "Stay still, Therese, and this will be over faster."

Therese whimpered, tears streaming down her face throughout the diaper change, and then she obediently crawled beneath her blue blanket, still sniffling, to curl up on the big queen-size bed. Carol closed the door behind her and returned to Eilis after washing her hands. Eilis was sitting, looking a bit bemused, at the table.

"I'm sorry, Eilis. That was not nice at all." Carol sat down beside Eilis and smiled at her. "Are you finished, sweetheart?"

Eilis nodded, looking a bit sleepy-eyed herself. Carol took stock of the situation. "Therese will likely sleep for an hour or two. You're welcome to read some of her books or watch the television, or you can take a nap as well. Whatever you'd like, darling."

Eilis looked a bit confused, but then almost naturally, she lifted her arms to Carol and yawned, almost without seeming to know what she was doing. Carol smiled. Most littles were the same, then.

Carol wasn't entirely sure what to do about Eilis and her diaper - she was so used to checking Therese, but she didn't even know if Eilis had brought a change with her at all. Eilis seemed a bit squirmy as they walked down the hall, and when they got to the bathroom, Carol caught Eilis holding herself surreptitiously.

"Do you need the toilet, sweetheart?" Carol asked, and Eilis nodded. "All right," Carol replied. "Off you go, and then it's the bedroom at the end of the hall."

The door closed behind Eilis and Carol returned to the front door to find that Abby had, in fact, left a bag with some things in it for Eilis. Carol sighed in relief as she found a baby bottle with a bit of powdered milk in it and two or three spare diapers, along with what looked like a threadbare green scrap of a blanket with a frayed satin edging. Carol took the entire bag into the kitchen and started the kettle boiling on the stove for Eilis's milk. She hadn't seen powdered milk since the war - Therese occasionally would take it if there was nothing else, but she preferred fresh milk and Carol didn't blame her.

Carol filled the glass bottle halfway with hot water and then topped it up with fresh milk from the fridge, giving it a vigorous shake. She wasn't sure if Eilis would like it, but thin, watery milk didn't sound very appetizing. Returning to the hallway, she found Therese peeking from the master bedroom, and pulled a bit of a long face at her.

"I'll come to see you once Eilis is down for her nap. Off you go, Therese."

The door closed obediently. Carol realized it had been awhile since Eilis had come out of the bathroom. She quietly knocked. "Eilis? Are you all right, darling?"

A sob answered her, then, "I'll come out in a moment," in a choked voice. But Carol's face creased in concern, and she knocked again. 

"Eilis, sweetie. Do you need any help?"

It was occasionally strange to Carol to keep tabs on women that were only ten or so years younger than she was, but she was so used to Therese that the absurdity of the question passed fairly quickly. The two women now in her house were very much like children, and needed just as much love and care as children would. And after a moment, the bathroom door opened a crack and Eilis's tearstained face showed through.

"Hi there," smiled Carol. "What's the trouble?"

"I . . . I think I've had . . . I've had an accident," said Eilis, her voice dropping. "And my nappy is wet, and I'm sorry . . ." Her voice broke. "I can sort it on my own."

"Nonsense. Shh, shh." Carol opened the door wider to see Eilis standing awkwardly, much as Therese did when she was wet and they were in public. "Come here, darling. It's all right. Not the end of the world, and definitely not something I haven't seen before from little ones." Carol enveloped Eilis in her arms and Eilis relaxed. She was very easy to comfort, thought Carol, which made life quite a bit easier.

"Now. Why don't we change your pants and then let you have a nice little nap? I've got your bottle all ready. Come with me." Carol led Eilis down the hall and into the guest room, where she quietly directed Eilis to lie down on the bed.

Eilis did, but she started to look uncomfortable, and then the tears came back. "I'm sorry," she whispered, and Carol rubbed her tummy gently. 

"Shh, shh. It'll be quick and you'll be nice and dry, won't you? There's a good girl." Carol made quick work of the diaper change, noticing that the diapers were folded slightly differently than she would fold Therese's, and wondered if it was just a different style used in Ireland, where she knew Georgina came from. The diapers were also thick terrycloth, which Therese used in the winter as well.

She pinned Eilis securely and went to wash her hands again, noticing that her skin was starting to dry out in the cold weather and from all the hand washing. Adding some cream to her hands, she came back to give Eilis her bottle. But Eilis was already asleep, her bottle half-gone, so Carol tiptoed out and into the master, where Therese was waiting for her.

Settling down with her jealous little one, who eagerly latched on to nurse, Carol decided to save the lecture for later. Therese was tired enough.

And, thought Carol, so was she.

//~//

The little ones woke up from their naps around the same time and Carol put the TV on for them while they played in the living room and she prepared a snack of fruit and cookies. She could hear them talking as they played with Therese's paper dolls.

"This one is going to go to a ball," said Therese authoritatively. "She has the nicest dresses from Bloomingdale's."

"Well, Bartocci's is better," replied Eilis. "We have the nicest silk that can be tailored to any lady's liking."

"I've never even heard of that. Now, this man is going to come and pick her up in a Rolls Royce. And they'll go out to Tavern on the Green first, before the ball."

"Have you been to Tavern on the Green?"

"Only once, for a special occasion. Carol took me for my birthday last year. Have you?"

"Goodness, no. It's just too dear for me to consider it, and I don't have anyone who would bring me for a nice occasion like a birthday." Eilis's soft Irish burr was harder to hear, as she had a softer voice than Therese, but Carol's heart squeezed anyway. Eilis was such a lonely little thing. They'd have to have her over more so that she could be with people more.

"Where do you live? This lady lives in a _luxury_ apartment on 5th Avenue."

"On Clinton Street, in a boarding house with four other girls and a landlady, Mrs. Kehoe. She's a bit of a dragon sometimes," said Eilis, laughter coming into her voice, "but she's lovely. My lady will live in a boarding house and be swept off her feet by this gentleman."

"Hey!" exclaimed Therese. "You can't have that one. He's my lady's gentleman!"

"Ah, you didn't say that, though, Therese." 

"I did! I said he was going to be _my_ man."

"No, you didn't!"

"I did! I did so!"

Carol had had enough. She walked into the living room where both Eilis and Therese were holding the paper doll, tugging on it. "Girls. Now, if you can't play nicely, the dolls will have to go away."

"But Mama," whined Therese, slipping a bit in her exasperation, "I said that he was going to be _my_ gentleman and she could use that one." She pointed at a discarded doll. "And I always use this one."

"Well, maybe you could share with Eilis. She is a guest, after all." Carol picked up the second doll and held it out to Therese. "Now, how about letting Eilis play with the doll?"

Therese frowned, but she quietly let go of the doll and Eilis smoothed out the crease that had appeared in the man's dapper suit from all the tugging. 

"Now, Eilis, what do you say?"

"Thank you, Therese," she said, looking a bit shamefaced. And then she squirmed.

"Eilis, are you all right?" Carol recognized the squirm - Therese had done it herself when she'd had more control over her bladder and she'd had to go. But Eilis just nodded, and Carol went back to bring the snack out to the girls.

Some time later, she noticed Eilis squirming again on the floor, in the middle of a very involved game with the paper dolls. Therese was lying on her stomach, her feet waving carelessly in the air, but Eilis sat with a leg underneath her, stiffly and uncomfortably.

"Eilis, sweetie, do you need to go to the bathroom?" Carol was reading a magazine on the couch and tried to sound offhand, as she would have if she was asking Rindy the same question. And just as Rindy would toss her head and deny she had to go, Eilis too shook her head. Carol was aware that Eilis hadn't had her diaper changed since she woke up from her nap, but she also knew the girl only had one spare diaper left.

"Maybe you should see if you need to," suggested Carol, and this time Therese looked up. 

"It's all right, we can stop for a second so you can go," said Therese generously.

Eilis squirmed and then suddenly held herself. "Or is it too late?" Therese asked gently.

Eilis nodded a little bit, looking, ashamed, at the floor. "It's too late."

"Darling. I don't mind changing you but if you need to go, you can just go. It's all right. Don't cry," said Carol kneeling beside Eilis. "Don't be so shy. Shh, shh. Let's fix you up and then I think it'll be just about time for Abby to come."

Eilis quietly put her hand in Carol's and they went to the bedroom. Eilis put a thumb in her mouth for the first time and seemed to almost relax as Carol changed her. Carol tried a bit of a tickle on her tummy and was rewarded with a giggle and dazzling smile.

"That's better," said Carol, smiling down at Eilis. "What a lovely little one you are. Georgina is a lucky lady to have you."

Eilis looked a bit confused, then. "But she doesn't, not really." Eilis sat up and looked at Carol. "It's not like you and Therese."

"I know, sweetie. But she takes care of you, doesn't she?"

"Not all the time. Not as much as I'd like. But she's busy, and I guess I am too . . ." Eilis's voice trailed off. "I take care of myself mostly. Sometimes Mrs. Kehoe comes to sit with me at night. She does with all of the new girls."

"And Georgina?"

"She has Abby, and I like Abby a lot," said Eilis loyally, leaving out that she'd only really met Abby that day. "But I sometimes wish someone would look after me more."

"Well, you're welcome to come over and play with Therese any weekend you'd like. It's nice for Therese to have a friend."

Eilis smiled, then. "I'd like that."

"I like it when you come over, Eilis," said Therese, peeking around the half-open door.

And Eilis smiled at Therese. "You can call me Eily if you like."

//~//

Eilis was sleepy-eyed by the time Abby came just after six-thirty to take her home. "It's really coming down out there, and I'd like to get home before the roads fill up again," she said. "But I hope she was good."

"She's a little angel, and Therese is definitely happier than she was this morning!" replied Carol.

Therese was in the bath already, and didn't get a chance to say goodbye, but she'd given Eilis a rare hug just before Abby had come and asked her to come again. "We need to continue our game!"

"And I want to bring my paper dolls next time," said Eilis with a smile. "I have different ones to you, but I think you'll like them."

Now, Eilis gave Carol a warm hug and thanked her for the lovely time. 

"Of course, darling. Come back any time you'd like."

After she kissed Abby goodbye, the pair left and Carol returned to Therese in the tub, who was involved in a game with her rubber duck and looked up with a smile when Carol came in.

"Hi, Mama."

"Hi, angel. I think you had a big day today, didn't you?" Carol began to wash Therese's hair and Therese giggled as her fingers tickled on her sensitive scalp.

"I like Eily!"

"I'm glad. I like her, too." Carol rinsed Therese's hair and started to wash her body. "But you weren't always the nicest host to her today, were you?"

Therese's smiled disappeared and she frowned. "You didn't pay attention to me."

"And that was because we had a guest that was feeling uncomfortable and shy. And you know how you feel when you're out of your depth, don't you?"

"She got better," said Therese mutinously, splashing a little in the warm water. "And _I'm_ your little one."

"That's true, and you'll always be my little one. But Eilis needed to feel more comfortable and that's why she needed more of my attention today. It's not nice to cause a scene in front of guests and need a time out, is it?"

"No."

"No. Now come on, sleepy baby. Let's get you ready for bed and then we can watch some television."

After Therese was pajamaed and diapered, she scampered out to the couch while Carol made a cup of strong tea and a bottle of chocolate milk for Therese as a treat. Therese sucked at her bottle for awhile, cradled in Carol's arms, and then she yawned and burrowed into Carol's arms, closing her eyes.

And as Carol stroked Therese's hair, she found herself hoping they'd see more of Eilis.

She was sure they would.


End file.
